A NEW traffic management scheme for the Royal National Park has angered residents and businesses in Bundeena, who claim it stopped them holding festive family reunions and could ruin the area’s business strip.
Over the Christmas and New Year period, access to Bundeena via the Royal National Park was closed several times as the the park filled up. Motorists trying to access the area were told to turn around and go via Waterfall.
According to accounts by residents, motorists then queued for about two hours as they were stopped one-by-one at Waterfall and turned away if they could not prove they lived at Bundeena.
Resident Helen Armstrong said her family reunion planned for New Year’s Day was ruined by the traffic changes.
‘‘One of our cousins made it through Audley but the other one was turned around, then told she couldn’t go to Bundeena when she got to Waterfall,’’ Ms Armstrong said.
She said her cousin was questioned by officials in Roads and Maritime Services (RTA) vests at Waterfall, who told her she could not visit Bundeena because she didn’t live there.
‘‘She spent over two hours in the car, she had presents in the back seat, but she couldn’t get through,’’ Ms Armstrong said.
According to the owner of the Bundeena IGA John Filwarkiw, the closures had converted the area, usually packed over the summer, into a ghost town.
‘‘Normally Boxing Day and new year’s are our busiest period,’’ Mr Filwarkiw said.
‘‘We staffed up but they were just standing around.’’
He said his business like many in the suburb relied on the summer boom to make it through the quiet winters.
Bundeena Service Station owner Mark Douglas estimated that his summer trade was down by at least 20 per cent.
He said that it was essential for a new plan to be put in place for Australia Day, which was normally a huge event for the area.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service announced before Christmas that the new traffic plan would be in place for the park during peak periods.
NPWS area manager Michael Treanor said the plan, which was drawn up by the NPWS, the RTA and police, was being revisited following the complaints.
‘‘It was never our intention to stop access to Bundeena,’’ Mr Treanor said.
He said the NPWS would meet RTA and police representatives next week to look at ‘‘a number of plans’’ before Australia Day.
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